EC Agrees to Restore Soviet Food Aid
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BRUSSELS — The 12-member European Community agreed in principle Monday to restore more than $1 billion in food aid to the Soviet Union. The aid was withheld after a bloody crackdown in the Baltic republics.
The EC ministers issued a statement expressing satisfaction that Soviet authorities had not interfered with referendums held Sunday in Latvia and Estonia. Latvians and Estonians voted overwhelmingly for independence in the non-binding referendums; Lithuania did the same thing last month.
Political leaders in the three Soviet Baltic republics expressed hope Monday that their overwhelming votes for independence would force the Kremlin to soften its stand against their secession.
Final approval of the food aid awaits the outcome of a meeting today between EC government representatives and members of the European Parliament to work out technical problems.
The aid approved by the ministers includes $338 million in emergency food deliveries this year and $675 million in credits for food purchases next year. It was originally approved by EC national leaders at a summit in Rome last December.
The ministers also decided to reopen talks with Soviet officials on a $540-million package of technical assistance and asked the EC executive commission to draft a detailed proposal.
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